Osceola Sheriff May Discipline 9 Residents Get An Apology For Slow Response To Attack

December 6, 1986|By Gina Thomas of The Sentinel Staff

KISSIMMEE — Nine patrol deputies, sergeants and dispatchers may be demoted or suspended by Osceola County Sheriff Bob Fornes for ''dropping the ball'' when they failed to immediately notify detectives of a child-molesting incident.

The discipline, recommended as part of an internal investigation, was announced late Thursday during a meeting of sheriff's and county officials and about 50 residents of Indian Wells, where a 7-year-old boy was molested last week.

The county officials were invited to the homeowners' regular monthly meeting after the boy's stepfather complained that the agency took 30 and 40 minutes on two separate occasions to respond to the incident.

Fornes said Friday that he expects to finish reviewing the 100-page internal investigation report by Monday. He said he wants to hear the officers' explanations before taking any action.

''Everybody should have the right to appeal,'' he said. ''I don't want to drop the guillotine on anybody who doesn't deserve it.''

Sheriff's Maj. Lee Watko apologized for the slow response in handling the case and assured the homeowners that steps have been taken.

''The system was in place, but the people in the system didn't carry it out,'' Watko said. ''Our people are human beings -- well-trained, but still human.''

The 7-year-old's stepfather said he was at first irate but is now pleased that the sheriff's office acted so quickly in remedying the matter. He also urged county Commissioner Randy Sheive to support hiring more deputies if the department is shorthanded.

''If the police need more money, that's an essential service,'' he said. ''I think the people of Indian Wells would rather see more money funneled into the sheriff's office.''

The man's stepson was molested Nov. 28 by a man who approached the pool area where the youngster was playing and asked where the restrooms were. When the boy pointed out the restrooms, the man pulled him inside.

The assailant was believed sighted again by several children the next day. Osceola Sheriff's Lt. Larry Taggett said that man, a resident of the community, has been ruled out as a suspect because he was on an airplane at the time of the 5:30 p.m. assault.

Watko told the group that the ideal response time is between three and five minutes, but it can run as long as 15 minutes because of the size of the patrol zone. However, he said the department has hired 12 more patrol officers and plans to make the coverage area smaller.

''We'll have them out there just as soon as we can hire and train them,'' Watko said.

Meanwhile, the members at the meeting were organized into a crime-watch group by the department's crime prevention officer. Bob Mandell, with Greater Construction Inc., said the company will pay for the neighborhood watch signs and any other costs associated with establishing a neighborhood watch.